Top 15 Mobile App Development Trends in 2024

The mobile app development industry is at the cusp of a technological revolution, allowing new trends to come and flourish in the industry. The change is, of course, helping the consumers to become aware of the new technologies and use them to avail a suite of different services.

The popularity of mobile applications gives users a chance to leverage the related benefits in their respective businesses. Reaching the masses for business promotion through a dedicated mobile app is easier. It also serves as a direct communication channel for the users to connect with the business.

Regardless of their categories, mobile apps have made it a better world for users. Be it the requirement of booking an app or ordering food from your favorite restaurant, services are available just with a few taps on the smartphone. And when mulling a product idea, ongoing application development trends play a pivotal role.

Trends in mobile development keep changing frequently. The ones that have prevailed lately may not find a place in the upcoming year; this is how the cycle goes on. There is no definite formula for how a trend in mobile app development makes it into the business, so there is always uncertainty about the trends that will prevail next. The article is going to clear all such doubts by exploring the top mobile app development trends for 2024 and beyond.

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) Offering New Dimensions

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have caused a seismic shift in mobile app development. We cannot imagine app development in 2024 without using these ground-breaking technologies. Clutch has revealed that 61% of businesses believe that opting for AI app development trends is an important decision.

A professional mobile app development company today understands that they need to deliver a quintessential mobile app which will serve as a perfect recommendation machine. It must analyze user behavior, preferences, and historical data and provide personalized recommendations, content, and experiences. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning find their relevance in the mobile app development process due to these evolving considerations.

Mobile apps need to use the NLP potential for serving the users through chatbots and virtual assistants that must work as a constant companion. These features integrated into mobile apps use NLP and help users establish natural interaction with the app.

In terms of performance, by analyzing usage patterns, device specifications, and network conditions, machine learning algorithms dynamically adjust settings, and optimize mobile app performance, prefetching content and allocating resources efficiently. The result is reflected in faster load times and optimized battery consumption, which is a key performance criteria in resource-intensive apps like video streaming, gaming, and online stores.

Common examples include that of online stores that demonstrate the very efficacy of AI and ML. With recommendation engines powered by ML algorithms, they suggest products based on past purchases or browsing history.

Due to its ability to deliver innovative and immersive experiences that cater to the evolving needs of users, AI and ML is becoming a part of almost every mobile app development project.

2. Blockchain Gaining Momentum

One key reason why blockchain has become a staple for mobile app development in recent times is the need for highly robust mobile applications. Predictions highlight that cybercrime will cost the global economy more than 20 trillion U.S dollars by 2026, a 1.5 times increase compared to figures in 2022.

Blockchain can help reduce cybercrime costs by providing a secure environment for mobile app transactions. As the technology allows mobile apps to store data in a decentralized manner, it eliminates the risk of a single point of failure.

Further, blockchain comes with key features such as smart contracts, tokenization, and identity management that make the operations executed via the app transparent and efficient as

Embedding smart contracts directly into the app’s code, simplifies complex processes like release of payment upon task completion.
Integrating tokenized loyalty points automates the process of transfer and redemption of points across platforms, useful in apps for loyalty programs and asset management.
Identity management, working as a decentralized solution adds an extra layer of security for user credential management.
Supply chain tracking counters the risk of fraud or counterfeiting.

3. Low Code/No Code

The mobile app industry is being reshaped by the transformative low code/no code movement. Accelerating development times and reducing costs, these application development technologies open app development to a broader audience. The rise of low code and no code platforms has thus democratized app development, allowing even individuals without programming knowledge to build apps.

Developers now have exclusive shortcuts at their disposal, which offers them an opportunity to build interactive applications in record time. Tools like Zapier and Bubble provide seamless plug-and-play interactions with various services and empowers non-technical and business owners to build complete apps.

Google’s acquisition of Appsheet, valued at $60 million, further showcases the significance of low code/no code platforms. According to Statista’s 2022 survey, Google Appsheet leads the pack with 40% usage among developers and business owners. This surge in adoption signifies the democratization of app development and the immense potential it holds in mobile app development.

4. Cloud-Driven Mobile Apps Will Become Trendy

Today, we need mobile apps that can effortlessly handle higher loads and perfectly meet the data synchronization needs. Cloud fulfills these conditions by offering a plethora of services that streamline the overall mobile app development effort.

For backend infrastructure, cloud computing provides scalable and managed services like databases (SQL and NoSQL), storage solutions, and serverless computing platforms. Developers are saved from the extra effort of setting up and managing their own servers, and can instead focus completely on app logic and functionality. Additionally, cloud-based databases offer features such as automatic scaling, replication, and backups, and developers need not to implement these features manually.

Another advantage of cloud computing is its support for cross-platform mobile app development technologies and frameworks. Many cloud providers offer integrations with popular frameworks like React Native, Flutter, and Xamarin. With these frameworks, mobile app developers can write code once and deploy it across multiple platforms. So, the development cycle is accelerated as the platform-specific details are abstracted away, and there is no need to manage separate codebases for iOS and Android.

Cloud also serves as a facilitator for implementing data-intensive technologies like machine learning. Cloud-based APIs for speech recognition, image processing, and natural language processing enable developers to incorporate sophisticated functionality into their mobile apps without requiring specialized expertise. These functionalities work on extensive data volumes where cloud becomes paramount.

5. XR Revolution: Integrating Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

The expectation levels of users have risen, and they need real-life-like experiences, possible with AR and VR, which is why these technologies have become an integral part of mobile app development.

Leading players like Apple and Google have brought SDKs for integrating AR and VR into mobile apps. Developers are using Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore to build AR-driven mobile applications. These SDKs provide tools for motion tracking, environmental understanding, and light estimation, which are fundamental elements for building immersive AR applications. Similarly, there are SDKs available for VR development, like Google’s Google VR SDK for Android, and Oculus’s Oculus Mobile SDK for Oculus devices.

The Extended Reality transformation brought by AR and VR offers the promise of delivering immersive experiences to users. Developers are exporting engines such as Unity and Unreal Engine to export these experiences that blend virtual content with the real world.

6. On-Demand Apps

As per PWC, by 2025, the investment in on-demand apps and websites will increase to $335 billion. With the on-demand economy poised for remarkable growth, on-demand apps are the future of mobile app development.

For app developers and business owners, this is one of the latest trends in mobile apps presenting a unique chance to tap into the power of on-demand app development and cater to the ever-changing needs of their audience. These apps offer a multitude of features and functionalities, enabling businesses to provide enhanced services and boost accessibility.

On-demand app development has also gained momentum for a variety of other reasons such as providing flexibility to service providers and adjusting to changing consumer behavior. Whether it’s driving for a ride-sharing service, delivering groceries, or offering freelance services, on-demand apps provide opportunities to use them as per one’s needs.

7. Motion Magic to Amplify App Experiences

In a crowded app market, incorporating motion-based features can help an app stand out from competitors. These features add a unique selling point and attract users who are looking for a more dynamic intuitive experience. Leveraging visual feedback and transition, they guide users through app functionalities, and make interactions more enjoyable and informative.

To implement motion-based features, developers use algorithms to process the raw data from hardware sensors and detect specific types of motion or gestures. These motion-based interactions streamline workflows and make complex tasks easier to perform. For example, gestures such as swiping, pinching, and tapping can provide quicker access to features and content.

The need for these functionalities is also complemented by the exotic hardware that today’s mobile devices come with. With gyroscopes, accelerometers, and haptic feedback systems, developers have more tools at their disposal to double down on motion designs and build compelling motion-based experiences.

8. Mobile IoT

The integration of IoT features into mobile apps addresses the growing demand for connected and intelligent solutions. In the case of smart homes, IoT-enabled mobile apps allow users to remotely control and monitor devices such as thermostats, lighting systems, and security cameras. In healthcare, IoT integration in mobile apps assists in remote patient monitoring, medication adherence tracking, and real-time health data analysis. Across these industries mobile IoT is demonstrating significant outcomes. Steadily, business apps are becoming a part of the IoT ecosystem and generating new revenue streams by optimizing operations.

To implement mobile IoT, developers use APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) provided by IoT device manufacturers and establish communication between the app and the IoT devices.

Considering the potential of mobile apps for IoT, businesses are beginning building from the simplest to the most complex apps. Offering seamless connectivity and excellent user data handling capabilities, these apps are serving as an important bridge between the devices and the users.

9. Touchless UI

Touchless UI is an emerging trend that allows you to use apps without physically touching the screen. For instance, you might already be familiar with some touchless features, like using your fingerprint or face to unlock your phone or authenticate mobile payments.

As highlighted in the research paper, Mobile Touchless Fingerprint Recognition:

Implementation, Performance and Usability Aspects, that touchless system achieved an accuracy of 96% for algorithm-1 and 94% for algorithm-2, indicating the potential for touchless UI in mobile device

We already see how payment gateways like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others have gained popularity due to their contactless feature. The future holds even more exciting possibilities. Imagine controlling mobile wallets and other apps with just a wave of your hand or by moving your head. Soon, mobile apps will even be able to follow your eye movements to help you scroll through content effortlessly. Therefore, these innovations are set to transform the way we interact with apps, making them more intuitive and convenient than ever before.

10. Development for Wearable Devices

Wearable app development is the new way in the technology world. Thanks to wearable technology for making this possible. Consumers are preferring convenience and functionality that wearables offer. The constantly soaring market bears testimony to how wearables are becoming favorite amongst users. Valued at $61.3 billion in 2022 the wearable market is expected to reach higher value, growing at a CAGR of 14.6% annually from 2023 to 2030.

The wristwear product segment dominated the global industry in 2022 and accounted for the maximum share of more than 49.45%. The consumer electronics application segment led the industry in 2022 and accounted for the maximum share of more than 48.95%. The healthcare segment is anticipated to register the second-fastest growth rate from 2022 to 2030. These are the findings of Precedence Research for the forecast period 2023-2032.

However, the challenge with wearable apps is that they must optimize resource usage and ensure smooth operation without draining the device’s battery too quickly. Because wearable devices typically have limited resources such as processing power, memory, and battery life. The apps must be architected to minimize latency and respond to user inputs or changes in the environment in a timely manner.

11. Apps for Foldable Devices

It’s time you take the advantage of the surging popularity of foldable devices in your mobile app development strategy. These devices with larger screens and multitasking capabilities offer users a more immersive and efficient experience. Optimize your apps for foldable devices to make the most of the increased screen space, delivering detailed content and enhanced functionality.

Video streaming and gaming apps can particularly benefit from the expanded screens, providing app users with captivating experiences. Whether it’s maximizing visuals or utilizing the additional space for controls and information, the possibilities are vast.

With the rise of foldable devices, it’s crucial to stay ahead and ensure seamless app performance on these unique devices. By incorporating foldable screen considerations into your development process, you can tap into one of the significant mobile app development trends of 2024, providing optimized and engaging experiences to your users on foldable devices.

12. 5G Technology

The rollout of 5G has opened up new opportunities for businesses. Industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and entertainment are seeking innovative applications to leverage the capabilities of 5G networks. By 2025, the number of 5G subscriptions is projected to reach 4.8 billion, while 5G-enabled smartphones may account for 65% of global shipments

As 5G networks become more widespread, users will expect apps to take full advantage of the increased bandwidth. The demand for bandwidth-intensive applications, such as high-definition video streaming, cloud gaming, and real-time collaboration tools is thus on the rise.

All the emerging technologies we discussed before, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), AR and VR rely on latency and capacity of the network. 5G’s low latency and high capacity is ideal for these technologies. For implementing these capabilities, developers leverage CDNs with edge caching capabilities and protocols like CMAF (Common Media Application Format) with Low Latency Chunked Transfer Encoding (LL-HLS or LL-DASH), which are designed to optimize streaming for 5G.

13. Beacon Technology

Initially introduced as a concept in the early 2010s, beacon technology gained momentum with the widespread adoption of smartphones and the growing demand for location-based services. As developers sought to bridge the gap between digital and physical worlds, beacons emerged as a promising solution to deliver contextually relevant content and services to users based on their proximity to specific locations.

A game-changer, today, beacon is an important trend in the mobile app development space, and has become an integral part of every mobile app developer’s toolkit. One of the key strengths of beacon technology lies in its ability to enable proximity-based marketing initiatives. ELLE Magazine achieved exceptional results with beacons in American malls, with 8.5% of shoppers visiting a participating store, representing a 10,000% improvement over typical mobile advertising programs. This noteworthy improvement is enough to highlight the relevance of beacon in today’s apps.

Most importantly, beacon technology lets you collect valuable data that can be effectively used for making informed business decisions as well as optimize app performance. So, it offers support on both business and technical fronts. By tracking user interactions with beacons, businesses will gain insights into user behavior, traffic patterns, and engagement metrics, which they can discuss with the development team which can further refine the app for better performance.

14. Video and Audio-focused Mobile Apps

We all use apps like YouTube, Spotify, and Clubhouse. The proliferation of high-speed internet connectivity, coupled with the widespread adoption of smartphones, has paved the way for the popularity of video and audio-focused mobile apps.

The growing prominence of video and audio-focused mobile apps can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, advances in technology, such as improved camera capabilities and audio processing algorithms, have made it easier for users to create and consume high-quality multimedia content on their devices. Additionally, the rise of social media and influencer culture has fueled the demand for visually appealing and engaging content, driving the development of innovative video editing and enhancement tools.

However, the relevance of video and audio-focused mobile apps extends beyond entertainment to education, communication, and commerce. Educational platforms leverage video tutorials and lectures to deliver immersive learning experiences, while messaging apps incorporate audio and video calling features for real-time communication. Furthermore, mobile Commerce platforms increasingly use video content to showcase products and enhance the shopping experience.

15. Focus on Mobile Threat Defense

App security in mobile devices continues to remain a challenge despite developers implementing strong measures to protect application architecture, data, and codebase. The implications of a breach are always serious as it exposes the data of users, which in turn earns bad reputation for the business.

In a recent episode Cash App data breach affected 8.2 million customers, where personal information like full names, brokerage account numbers, and stock trading activity were compromised. Since a mobile app interacts with multiple external entities, an app must offer a robust mechanism to counter attacks it receives from all channels.

As mobile devices become increasingly targeted by cybercriminals, mobile threat defense solutions are emerging to provide comprehensive protection against a wide range of mobile threats, including malware, phishing attacks, and network vulnerabilities. They encompass a spectrum of proactive measures aimed at safeguarding mobile devices and applications against security threats, including:

Zero-Trust Architecture: With the increasing sophistication of cyber threats, the traditional perimeter-based security model is becoming obsolete. Zero-trust architecture assumes that threats could exist both inside and outside the network, requiring continuous authentication and authorization for every user and device attempting to access resources.
Mobile App Shielding and Hardening: Developers are increasingly turning to app shielding and hardening techniques to protect their mobile applications from reverse engineering, tampering, and other malicious activities. Measures such as code obfuscation, anti-debugging mechanisms, and runtime application self-protection (RASP) are implemented to fortify the mobile apps.
Secure by Design: Security is no longer an afterthought in the app development process. Instead, it’s being integrated into every stage of the development lifecycle, from mobile app design and coding to testing and deployment. Secure coding practices, threat modeling, and security testing tools are becoming standard components of the development toolkit.

Summing Up

That’s all on the mobile development trends to watch in 2024 and coming years. As the industry is thriving every single day, you will see this list of top mobile app trends soon having new trends. We must keep in mind that all these trends represent technological evolutions that work in tandem, and collectively help build a new-age mobile app.

One way to get started with your favorite mobile apps trends is by partnering with an experienced mobile application development services company.

That’s where Finoit, an experienced mobile app development company, steps in. With their extensive industry knowledge and expertise, Finoit is the ideal partner to bring your app ideas to life, may it be iOS or Android app development.

As a trusted collaborator, Finoit understands the ever-growing demands of the app development domain. Our team of skilled professionals is well-equipped to implement the latest mobile app development trends, and makes your app stand out in the competition. Connect with our development expert to leverage end-to-end services tailored to your specific needs and avail innovative, high-quality mobile applications.